Pakistan Railways has suspended all train services between Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Peshawar as panic grips the federal capital following protest calls from a key political party.
Services from Multan and Faisalabad to Rawalpindi have been halted immediately and all 25 train bookings scheduled for Sunday, November 24, have been canceled.
Passengers are being offered immediate refunds at temporary booking counters set up at sealed railway stations. A heavy police presence has been deployed at these stations and access is quite heavily restricted.
The decision to suspend services was prompted by security concerns arising from today’s protest in Islamabad which has been blocked for both entry and exits with commercial containers.
Meanwhile, mobile internet services have been disrupted in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. A number of other cities close to the twin cities have reported partial internet disruptions, though mobile networks are still working.